Electric lamp-lighting device



(No Model.

H. VAN HOEVENBERGH.,

ELECTRIC LAMP LIGHTING DEVIGE. No. 284,516. Patented Sept. 4, 1883.

WITNESSES INVENTDR mHa n? k W L'y 11133 .dztorneys V my N, Firms.PMlu-L'Ilhoguphof. Wnhinginu. n c

To all whom it may concern.-

NITE STATES f PATENT OFFICE.

HEhTRY VAN Ho vENBEneH, on ELIZABETH, NEW JEEsEY.

ELECTRIC LAMP-LIGHTING Device.

sPEoIFrcA'rIoN forming part of,Letters ream No. 284,516, dated September4,. 1883.

Application filed May 31,1883. (No model.)

Be it known that I, H NRY VAN HoEvEivj BERGH, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Elizabeth, in the countyofUnion and State ofNew Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 1nElectric Lamp-Lighting Devices, of which the following is aspecification.

The object of my invention is to dispense with the necessity ofemploying matches for lightingthe wicks of kerosene or oil lamps byemploying heat obtained from an electric current in lieu thereof.

. The invention consists in supporting a platinum wire or otherconductor capableof being readily raised to a high temperature by thepassage of an electric current in proximity to the edge of the wick ofakerosene or oil lamp,

. y and in providing convenient meansfor includ- W ing the same in anelectric circuit whenit is desired to lightthe lamp. The platinum wirethrough which an electric current is thus transmitted becomessufficiently heated by the action of the current'to ignite the wick oroil, after which the lamp may be removed from the circuit.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents the kerosene-lamp ofwell-known construction, showing the method of applying the inventionthereto. Figs. 2 and?) represent devices for attaching the ignitingdevicemltg the wick-tube. Fig. 4 represents a device which may beemployed for throwing the incandescent conductor away from the wick-tubefor the purpose of trimming the wick.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the body of the kerosene-lamp,and a and b the wick-tube and wick, respectively. Two insulated electricconductors, 0 d, extend upward through a plate, 6, constituting thesupport ing-plate for the chimney, and are connected with the respectiveextremities of a short coil of platinum wire, f. Theparts areso-adjusted that thecoilf extends parallel with the side of the wick andin close proximity thereto, but

preferably not in actual contact therewith.

, The lower extremities of the conductors c and d project a sufficientdistance below the plate 6 to permit their being placed in contact withtwo resilient eleetrodes,h and t, which are respectively connected withthe oppositepoles ,nection therewith.

of the battery 0. Vhen the lamp is placed between the two contact-amandt' and electric connection is completed from the battery through theconductors andd and wire f, the latter is heated by the action of thecurrent in overcoming the, electrical resistance, and the wick becomeslighted.

, The contactarms or electrodes 71. and i are designed to be placed atconvenient pointsin the different rooms throughout the building,

and they may all depend upon the same battery as asource of electricity.It maybe found desirable in some instances to secure them to a.supporting-bracket, H, which may be coated with luminous paint for thepurpose of more readily determining the position in which the lampshould be placed to be ignited.

When the invention is applied to a lamp having a circular burner, theineandeseing electrode should be curved slightly to conform to theoutline of the wick or aportion thereof.

The device represented in Fig. 2 for attaching the incandescingconductor or electrode a with the wick-tube consists of aresilient clip,

70, the extremities of which are curved to fit upon the opposite edgesof the wick-tube, and

to press against the same with sufficient force to hold it in anyrequired position. of this device the vertical position of the conductormay be readily adjusted. Preferably,

By means r inapplying this attaching device, as also that illustrated inFig. 3, conductor 0 is insulated from the support, whereas the remainingconductor (I may or may. not be in electrical con- In Fig. 3 I haverepresented another form of clip, constructed in two separate parts, Zand m. The conductors c and d, for supporting the electrode f, extendfromone portion, Z, of

the clip. The remaining portion, m is connected with the portion 1 bymeans of an adjacent screw, at, extending through the former and turningin a nut formed in the portion 1. By means of this device the clip maybe securely clamped in any required position upon the wick-tube.

In Fig. 4 I have represented the device which I have preferred to employfor turning the electrode f away from the wick whenever desired. Thisdevice consists of a resilient clip, 70, adapted to clasp the Wiek-tubewith sufficient force to maintain .itin any required position, andprovided with two lugs, p p,

serving as supports for the movable portion q.

The part (1 consists of a flat plate having two legs, 1' and 1",respectively extending through have for this purpose represented thelugs 19 and p as diverging from each other in the direction of thewick-tube, and they are made somewhat resilient. When the plate (1 isturned outward, the lugs 1" and 0* act to press the lugs 19 and poutward. These lugs thus tend, when the plate (1 is in the positionindicated in the drawings, to press it still farther forward against thewick-tube. If, however, the plate be turned down at right angles, thepressure of the lugs 19 and 1) will not be sufficient to turnv the plateupward.

I claim as my invention I 1. The combination, substantially ashereinbefore set forth, with the wick and burner of a kerosene or oillamp, of an electric conductor supported upon the burner in proxlr imityto the wick, whereby the latter may be ignited by the passage of anelectric current through said conductor.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with thewick and burner of a kerosene or oil lamp, of two insulated electricconductors, respectively mounted upon said burner and connected with theopposite 4o terminals of a platinum conductor, and means, substantiallysuch as described, for supporting said platinum conductor in proximityto said wick.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of thewick-tube, the igniting-conductor, the means, substantially such asdescribed, for supporting said igniting-com ductor in proximity to saidwick, conductors respectively connected with the opposite ter-v minalsof said igniting-conductor, and'the two contact-arms, respectivelyconnected with said conductors. I

4. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with thewick and 'wickcircuit, the vertical adjustable support, and

the movable plate, whereby said electrode inayc6o be moved toward oraway from said wick.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto "subscribed my name this 29th dayof May, A. D. 1883.

HENRY VAN HOEVENBERGH.

Witnesses:

DANIEL W. EnGEcoMn, CHARLES A. TERRY.

55 tube of a kerosene-lamp, of the igniting-conductor, means,substantially such as described, for including said conductor in anelectric

